Chanel’s Le Beiges Summer Essentials

A Healthy Glow, High-Shine Lips, and a Remarkably Good Black Mascara

For the sake of transparency, I want to make it clear that my writings surrounding the materials is based entirely on personal observation rather than confirmed material claims. For anyone interested in the precise composition of the piece, I would strongly recommend consulting directly with a Chanel sales associate for accurate verification. Despite my efforts, I have yet to come across anyone capable of verifying my assumptions surrounding the materials.

First and foremost, let me just get this out of the way: this summer, I fully intend to be sitting poolside with this adorable wheat-toned basket in tow. Technically, I didn’t even wait for summer to arrive. I already took it out once. Each woven strand throughout the case carries a remarkably smooth texture, giving the piece a beach chic presence while still maintaining an effortless elegance. Chanel’s signature black detailing adorns the zip closure, introducing a classic visual balance against the raffia weave.

Chanel is, of course, well known for incorporating rattan into many of its woven designs. However, because of how supple and clean the texture feels here, I cannot help but suspect that the woven strands may instead be raffia. The material lacks the robust rigidity typically associated with rattan and instead possesses a softer quality beneath the hand, one that gives the case a gentler, almost relaxed malleability.

What especially caught my attention was the CC hardware positioned at the sides of the black handle. It looks expensive, but the hardware could very well just be a gold-toned plated metal intended to emulate the appearance of brass. It really is pretty though. The reflective gold-toned finish against the handle’s pebbled black texture and the case’s pale and warm weave gives the piece a quality of brilliance that immediately draws the eye without overwhelming the bag itself.

Focusing on the black handle, it gives the impression of leather and features a beige Chanel debossing. The surface carries a supple feel beneath the fingertips, accompanied by the kind of scent often associated with softer leather goods. Delving deeper into my fascination and curiosity, I’m fixated on the handle’s material. Leather, particularly within luxury accessories, introduces a completely different level of cost, texture, and craftsmanship unless composite variations are involved. Naturally, that leaves me curious about what materials Chanel may have chosen here. Is it imitation or real? Perhaps it’s upcycled leather?

Regardless, this case makes me recall some of Chanel’s previous woven designs. It immediately takes me back to the retro Black Raffia Classic Flap Bag, almost as though that same visual language had been translated into vanity case form. I am also reminded of the Chanel Rattan CC Vanity Case in Beige and Black, particularly in the way the darker trim and metallic accents frame the overall silhouette of the woven body.

The basket opens to a light beige interior with dimensions fitting of a traditional vanity case. It’s modest in scale, yet still functional in practice. The case measures approximately 7.5 inches in width and 5.1 inches in height, offering enough structure to feel organized without becoming cumbersome.

Inside, two interior pockets positioned opposite one another provide enough space for smaller beauty essentials such as a lipstick, gloss, balm, or even a standard-sized eyeshadow palette or blush compact. Beyond the pockets themselves, the main compartment offers more capacity than one might initially expect. I use it interchangeably. I either use it as a vanity case for travel, or I use it as an actual bag.

I was comfortably able to fit my Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses alongside a 0.1 oz. Rouge COCO Flash lipstick component, a couple of eye and lip liners, a portable Eihodo lip brush, Bisyodo’s BS-HC-01, and even my Hermès pressed powder compact tucked neatly into one of the interior pockets. And yes, I was able to zip it closed without any issues. Was I able to use both pockets? No.

Now, let’s get into the exciting products. The entire set also comes with a total of four cosmetic products. A blush, highlighter, a lippie, and a mascara.

Starting off with the Healthy Glow Blush in Délice. This shade is the most graceful shimmering pink. On my cheeks, it looks lively, fresh, and beautifully reflective without appearing overly frosted on the skin. What immediately stood out to me was the texture. It possesses a slightly creamy and wet, but gel-like consistency that works exceptionally well with my skin, allowing the product to blend smoothly without becoming overly heavy or slick throughout wear. There is something incredibly satisfying about slowly building this product to the desired intensity.

The moment I first applied it, I instinctively wanted to compare it to Armani’s Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer in the shade Peach Blush. And while the two occupy a somewhat similar space aesthetically, their formulas behave quite differently from one another. After all, the Armani Enhancer is technically intended to function as a highlighter.

The Chanel blush has a price point of $56, but it noticeably carries more pigment, diffuses more evenly across the skin, and has a far smoother finish overall without those pesky glitter particles. Armani’s Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer, by comparison, retails for $43 and carries a noticeably thinner consistency, a far more translucent payoff, but with broader shimmer flecks that catch across the skin like scattered crystals.

What ultimately separates the two for me, however, is the wear time. The Chanel blush maintains its presence on my oily skin far longer throughout the day, whereas the Armani enhancer wears in a way that feels softer and more fleeting. I especially dislike how it emphasized my skin’s texture, and the glitter residue it leaves behind.

Next, I have to show you the delightful limited edition highlighter. Chanel’s Lumière d’Été Highlighter carries the same luminous white-gold radiance that once made Tom Ford’s Soleil Glow Highlighter in 02 Sand Nude so memorable. However, it carries a slightly warmer golden undertone. The formula possesses a soft gilded glow rather than an overpowering sparkle. Although I initially feared the shimmer might appear overly concentrated across the cheeks, the finish melts into the skin beautifully, leaving behind a candlelit sheen instead of visible glitter particles.

Knowing this now sits within my ever-growing collection fills me with an almost childlike excitement. Every time I put this highlighter on, my heart pitter-patters with an excessive sense of joy. This highlighter was exclusively available through the Summer Essentials set.

And can we take a moment to appreciate its tiny fan brush? It could not be any more adorable!!

Glossy, fabulous, and hydrated. Chanel’s Rouge COCO Flash in Sweet is one of the creamiest and most luxurious lip products I have ever used. The formula moves across the lips with an almost melted consistency, leaving behind a lacquered sheen that makes the lips appear richly conditioned and incredibly glazed. The formula almost resembles oil in both appearance and behavior across the lips. Ingredients such as Diisostearyl Malate, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, and Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, alongside several other shine-enhancing emollients, all contribute to Rouge COCO Flash’s plush texture, comforting wear, and wet-look finish.

Admittedly, I had fallen out of love with Chanel’s beauty line for quite some time. Rouge COCO Flash completely reignited my excitement surrounding the brand. The formula feels indulgent without becoming excessive or without appearing overly done. Seriously! Your lips look like sunlight scattering over restless ocean water or pool waves disturbed by summer heat, fluid, gleaming, and constantly changing with movement.

Needless to say, I need more, and I will absolutely be expanding my collection.

Rouge COCO Flash is priced at $53.

Dramatic bedroom eyes capable of surviving beneath a blistering summer sun? Chanel’s Le Volume de Chanel Mascara is, without question, one of the strongest mascaras I have used in quite some time.

Ironically, one of the worst formulas I have ever experienced also came from Chanel: Noir Allure in 67 Rouge Noir. The deep wine shade itself was gorgeous, but the wear time was absolutely dreadful. Flaking everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. At a $45 price point, that level of fallout feels entirely unacceptable. Le Volume de Chanel exists on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Retailing for $2 less, the formula gives us an intensely saturated black that even challenges my beloved YSL Lash Latex Mascara in terms of longevity and near-waterproof resilience.

What especially impressed me was the staying power. The tube-like polymers cling tightly to the lashes, wrapping around them in a way that resists smudging, transfer, and fallout for hours on end. Removal requires a proper makeup remover, because ordinary cleansing barely makes a dent.

Chanel claims up to 24 hours of wear, and although I have no plans to personally verify that promise, I can say this mascara withstands sweltering mornings and humidity-heavy nights without falling apart. And trust me when I say I own what could only be described as a mascara library. This one unquestionably belongs among the greats.

Did any of you manage to catch this set before it disappeared, or did you unfortunately miss out? Tell me everything, especially if you managed to get your hands on it. And if you missed out, that is perfectly okay. A little pouting is entirely understandable, and fully permitted here.

𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥:

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